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Getting started on your project.

The ClickTouch team is composed of both designers and engineers who work equally well from a detailed technical drawing or from a simple preliminary concept or idea.

Whether you wish to launch a new project or to use ClickTouch technology in order to adapt one of our competitors’ products, we have a few recommendations for you to ensure your close and efficient collaboration with the members of our team.

Furthermore, if you’re looking for advanced technical information on subjects such as: choice of materials and components, available options for shielding, backlighting systems, key and flex cable positioning and much more, we invite you to download the following document: ClickTouch America_Technical Guide.pdf.

Electronic files format.

In order to start a project, the designers at ClickTouch America begin their work using a software for mechanical drawings with the aim of to define dimensions with the utmost precision and determine possible constraints.

Subsequently, when the mechanical drawing of the ordered part is completed, the contents of the file are exported towards a vectorial-type software to in turn complete the graphic development of this same piece.

If you have any files to submit to simplify the task of our designers, here is the list of formats that we can use:

AutoCad (.dxf and .dwg), Illustrator (.ai), Freehand (.fh11) and Acrobat (.pdf)

Type of electronic files: editable format and image format.

In order to save time on the development of a part, it’s always a good idea to submit vectorized files composed of modifiable elements (Fig. 1). Pixelized images (Fig. 2) such as: TIFF (.tif), JPEG (.jpg), bitmap (.bmp), GIF (.gif), PNG (.png), or photoshop (.psd) should be avoided, because they force our designers to redraw your graphic elements to respect our manufacturing process.

ClickTouch logo shown in vectorized form.
This format is essential in accomplishing the graphic
design of a product with precision.

Here is the ClickTouch logo presented in a pixelized
image with low resolution. This format should be avoided,
even with higher resolution.

Available key shapes and sizes using our unique ClickTouch technology.

Because we are very confident that our unique process can provide an absolutely unrivalled tactile experience compared to metallic or hydroformed polyester domes, we take pleasure in presenting a wide choice of available ClickTouch keys. The following table* shows the different shapes and sizes of our key embossing:

ROUND SHAPE
	Format	Visible diameter	Spacer opening
	T7	0.256” (6.5 mm)	0.315” (8 mm)
	T10	0.335” (8.2 mm)	0.393” (10 mm)
	T12	0.433” (11 mm)	0.512” (13 mm)
	T14	0.480” (12.2 mm)	0.606” (15.4 mm)
	T16	0.500” (12.7 mm)	0.685” (17.4 mm)
	T18	0.590” (15 mm)	0.748” (19 mm)
	T20	0.669” (17 mm)	0.846” (21.5 mm)

OVAL SHAPE
	Format	Visible width	Spacer opening
	O7	0.346” X 0.240” (8.8 X 6 mm)	0.419” X 0.315” (10.6 X 8 mm)
	O10	0.453” X 0.335” (11.5 X 8.5 mm)	0.512” X 0.394” (13 X 10 mm)
	O12	0.470” X 0.355” (11.9 X 9 mm)	0.550” X 0.435” (14 X 11 mm)
	O14	0.521” X 0.403” (13.2 X 10.2 mm)	0.610” X 0.492” (15.5 X 12.5 mm)

SQUARE SHAPE
	Format	Visible width	Spacer opening
	S10	0.335” X 0.335” X 0.081R (8.5 X 8.5 mm)	0.394” X 0.394” X 0.120R (10 X 10 mm)
	S12	0.433” X 0.433” X 0.089R (11 X 11 mm)	0.512” X 0.512” X 0.128R (13 X 13 mm)
	S14	0.472” X 0.472” X 0.108R (12 X 12 mm)	0.571” X 0.571” X 0.157R (14.5 X 14.5 mm)

* Note: For this table, it is important to keep in mind that different actuations forces ranges are available (from soft to hard) and that various key travels can also be obtained (short, medium or long travel). These different characteristics are determined by materials used and construction type.

Embossed LED Window Formats.

To compliment the round, oval, and square embossings that we offer to ensure a unique look and unmatched tactile experience, the windows designed for light emitting diodes (LEDs) can also be embossed according to various formats. This type of embossing aims to improve the viewing angle of the diodes incorporated in the construction of a membrane keypad, or of those fixed to a rigid printed circuit board (PCB).

Here are our available standard formats*:

ROUND SHAPE
	Format	Visible diameter	Spacer opening
	L3	0.118” (3 mm)	0.010” à 0.020” (0.25 to 0.51 mm)
	L4	0.158” (4 mm)	0.010” à 0.020” (0.25 to 0.51 mm)
	L5	0.197” (5 mm)	0.010” à 0.025” (0.25 to 0.64 mm)

*Note: If you’re looking for a specific LED window, in a form or format that differs from our standards, don’t hesitate to get in touch with one of our sales representatives, and inform them of your requirements.

Graphic Aspects of your product’s design.

Even though digital printing has enjoyed a boost in popularity in our business in recent years, traditional silkscreening remains, for us, the process of choice for printing your product.

Indeed, keypad manufacturers still like to use this established printing procedure for the following reasons: high quality of graphics, vibrant colors, uniformity and opaqueness of colors as well as a relatively low production cost.

To obtain the best results with this printing process, we still have to respect the following graphic rules:

Avoid lines or details that are too fine (Fig. 3). The thickness of a line must be equal or higher than 0.007” (0.178 mm)
To add a halftone effect (gradient effect) to a given colour, the maximum resolution must not exceed 100 lpi*
For smaller font sizes, choose a non serif typeface (Fig. 4-A) instead of a serif typeface (Fig. 4-B)

Illustrations comprised of different line thicknesses. To ensure a good print, a line must measure at least 0.007” (0.178 mm).

Figure 4-A illustrates the non serif typeface,
ideal for silkscreening, whereas figure 4-B
presents the serif typeface.

*Note: For all questions concerning halftones and their lineatures (lpi), please contact our sales department.

Choosing a Typeface.

Even though we offer a wide array of typefaces, we suggest that you convert the entire text of your product into vectorized objects, in all documents that you intend to send us. Generally, this option is available in the “Font” tab of your graphic software, under the headings “Convert to Curves” or “Create Outlines”.

If you cannot transform your font type into vectorized objects, it would be a good idea to attach the desired typeface along with an acrobat document (.pdf) to your correspondence in order to avoid mistakes in identifying your chosen typeface.

Selecting Opaque, Semi-Transparent or Transparent Colours.

Colour choice is an important step in the realisation of your project. To make the job easier, here are some options for communicating your opaque-colour request:

Colour Chart Pantone Matching System (PMS)
Colour Chart Munsell Colour System
Colour Chart Federal Standard
A sample of the part to be reproduced

No matter which of the above options you choose, our policy remains the same: for every new colour required for an ordered part, a sample will be created on the selected material so that we can get your approval before production begins.

With respect to transparent or semi-transparent colours, or in order to create a deadfront effect, aimed at controlling the presence of graphic elements with the use of backlighting, we have many unique colour charts developed specifically by our ink suppliers.

If you wish to have a better idea of our standards for these types of inks, or if you wish to choose an existing tint for your products, we’re always glad to send samples for approval.